Parking Near San Mateo Station, CA
What Are the Best San Mateo Station Parking Options?
Caltrain operates 42 parking spaces at 2nd and Railroad avenues, separate from the station at 385 1st Avenue. Daily parking costs $5.50, payable at a ticket vending machine or through ParkMobile using zone number 99607. Alternatives include a garage 0.4 mi away for $1 an hour and covered 24/7 parking 0.5 mi away for $161 a month.
- Address
- 385 1st Avenue
- Closest listed space
- Convenient Garage Parking in San Mateo, CA - SEC, 0.4 mi (9 min walk)
- Nearest station
- Hayward Park station, 1.3 mi (27 min walk)
Parking Near San Mateo
A train at a railway station platform Photo: Pexels / Debabrata Mukherjee
San Mateo Station Caltrain Parking at 2nd and Railroad Avenues
Caltrain operates the station parking, with 42 spaces located at 2nd and Railroad avenues (caltrain.com). The location is separate from the station address at 385 1st Avenue, so drivers should head for the 2nd and Railroad avenues lot when looking for the official spaces.
Daily parking costs $5.50, payable through a ticket vending machine or the ParkMobile app (caltrain.com). The parking zone number is 99607, which is required when using ParkMobile (caltrain.com). A daily parking permit may also be purchased for $5.50, while parking permits cost $82.50 (caltrain.com).
Parksy Parking Near San Mateo Station for Short and Long Stays
A garage space 0.4 mi from the station costs $1 an hour, making it a practical choice for a short visit or a commuter who wants a nearby alternative to the official lot. A covered space 0.5 mi away offers 24/7 access for $161 a month, which suits regular weekday travel and drivers who prefer covered parking.
For a lower-cost hourly option farther out, an outdoor lot in Burlingame is 1.3 mi away and costs $1.25 an hour. A private 24/7 space in Burlingame is 1.7 mi away at $15 a day, giving occasional drivers a daily option. Monthly spaces farther from the station include a San Mateo location 2.4 mi away for $217 a month and a covered garage 2.8 mi away for $222 a month.
Downtown San Mateo Parking Limits Around the Station
Downtown San Mateo parking costs $0.75 per hour under the city’s downtown parking information (cityofsanmateo.org). These limits make the downtown facilities more suitable for shorter weekday errands or longer Saturday visits than for an unrestricted weekday commute.
The Caltrain spaces use a paid-parking system rather than the downtown facility rules: drivers pay through a ticket vending machine or ParkMobile, using zone number 99607 (caltrain.com). The city’s downtown rules and Caltrain’s station payment arrangement should therefore be treated as separate systems when choosing where to leave a vehicle.
Commuter Choices for San Mateo Station Parking
The official lot has 42 spaces, so early arrival matters for commuters who want one of the station-operated spaces (caltrain.com). ParkMobile supports daily parking at Caltrain stations, and the San Mateo zone number is 99607 (caltrain.com). A daily parking permit costs $5.50, while a parking permit costs $82.50 (caltrain.com).
Regular commuters can also use the Parksy covered space 0.5 mi away for $161 a month. Drivers making shorter trips can choose the garage space 0.4 mi away at $1 an hour, while a 24/7 private space 1.7 mi away costs $15 a day. The official daily option and the private monthly or daily spaces serve different routines, so the best fit depends on whether the car stays for a few hours, a full day, or repeated weekday journeys.
Hayward Park Station and Onward Connections From San Mateo
Hayward Park station is the nearest listed rail alternative, 1.3 mi from the station and a 27-minute walk. It gives drivers another Caltrain station to consider when parking near the downtown station is inconvenient, although the longer walk makes it less direct for a walk-on transfer.
The station itself is at 385 1st Avenue, while the Caltrain parking spaces are at 2nd and Railroad avenues (caltrain.com). Drivers using the official lot can pay through the ticket vending machine or ParkMobile, with zone number 99607 (caltrain.com). Parksy spaces in Burlingame are also listed 1.3 mi and 1.7 mi away, while San Mateo alternatives are listed 2.4 mi and 2.8 mi away, giving commuters a choice between closer walking access and more distant parking arrangements.
Sources
* Please note: parking prices, time limits and fine amounts change frequently and vary by operator, council and local authority. Everything on this page is indicative and provided on a best-endeavours basis. Always check the sign, the operator or the issuing authority before you rely on a figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Best San Mateo Station Parking Options?
Caltrain operates 42 parking spaces at 2nd and Railroad avenues, separate from the station at 385 1st Avenue. Daily parking costs $5.50, payable at a ticket vending machine or through ParkMobile using zone number 99607. Alternatives include a garage 0.4 mi away for $1 an hour and covered 24/7 parking 0.5 mi away for $161 a month.
Where Is the Official Station Parking?
The official Caltrain parking spaces are at 2nd and Railroad avenues, not at the station address of 385 1st Avenue. There are 42 spaces, so early arrival matters for commuters who want station-operated parking. Drivers should head to the 2nd and Railroad avenues lot when looking for these spaces.
How Much Does Caltrain Parking Cost, and How Can I Pay?
Daily parking costs $5.50. Drivers can pay through a ticket vending machine or the ParkMobile app, using zone number 99607. A daily parking permit also costs $5.50, while parking permits cost $82.50. ParkMobile supports daily parking at Caltrain stations.
What Is the Best Parking for a Short Visit?
A garage space 0.4 mi from the station costs $1 an hour, making it suitable for a short visit. Downtown parking costs $0.75 per hour under the city’s downtown parking information, but downtown facilities are more suitable for shorter weekday errands or longer Saturday visits than an unrestricted weekday commute.
What Monthly Parking Options Are Available?
A covered space 0.5 mi away offers 24/7 access for $161 a month. Farther options include a San Mateo location 2.4 mi away for $217 a month and a covered garage 2.8 mi away for $222 a month. These choices suit drivers making repeated weekday journeys or preferring covered parking.
Can I Use Another Caltrain Station If Parking Is Inconvenient?
Hayward Park station is the nearest listed rail alternative, 1.3 mi away and a 27-minute walk. It gives drivers another Caltrain station to consider when parking near the downtown station is inconvenient, although the longer walk makes it less direct for a walk-on transfer.
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